Chasing Perfect : Susan Mallery

Chasing Perfect
by Susan Mallery
Available May 2010

Description:
Welcome to Fool’s Gold, California, a charming community in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. There’s lots to do and plenty of people to meet, especially women. Because there’s just one tiny problem in Fool’s Gold: the men don’t seem to stick around. Maybe it’s the lure of big-city life, or maybe it’s plain old bad luck, but regardless of the reason, the problem has to be fixed, fast. And Charity Jones may be just the city planner to do it.

Charity’s nomadic childhood has left her itching to settle down, and she immediately falls in love with all the storybook town has to offer — everything, that is, except its sexiest and most famous resident, former world-class cyclist Josh Golden. With her long list of romantic disasters, she’s not about to take a chance on another bad boy, even if everyone else thinks he’s perfect just the way he is. But maybe that’s just what he needs — someone who knows the value of his flaws. Someone who knows that he’s just chasing perfect.

This Blonde’s Review:
I have read several of Susan Mallery’s books. I always enjoy her characters and want to read more about them. I enjoy seeing where they end up in followup books. Chasing Perfect is the first in her new Fool’s Gold series. I did feel there were a lot of side characters we were supposed to care about at the same time. In a way it seemed that Charity and Josh’s story was to set up 3 or 4 other stories based on the number of important characters she introduced. Don’t get me wrong, I liked the characters and they were important for showing the nature of the town, but I felt she could have concentrated more on Charity and Josh. Charity and Josh are great examples of how we are usually our own biggest obstacle in a relationship and not some bad guy/girl trying to get in the way. There were a few writing clichés but it was still an enjoyable book.

Susan Mallery is a writer whose name I trust to provide something enjoyable. If I am on a quick library run I know I can grab her book without reading the back and know I won’t find myself setting it aside.  I do look forward to the next book when we can read Josh’s friend Ethan’s story.

Overall I enjoyed Chasing Perfect. I would recommend it as an enjoyable, easy read about friendships, small town support, and falling in love.